The years 1607 to 1754 saw greatchange in the Americas. The Native American population rapidly declined due to disease and conflicts with the newly arrived White Europeans. Europeans began to establish successful colonies, expanding first from , then to places like the Puritan refuge in , the Catholic colony in , the "holy experiment" in , and the debtor's colony in . Life in the north, middle, Chesapeake, and southern colonies was drastically different.
In this section, we'llcompare the effects of the development of colonial society in the various regions of North America.
| Spanish | French | Dutch | British | |
| Regional Impact | Present-day Florida, California, and New Mexico. Some notable examples include: and . | Primarily located in present-day Louisiana, , and the . Ex: | Primarily located in present-day New York and Delaware. Some notable examples include: and | Early British colonies developed along the Atlantic coast. |
| Economic/Imperial Goals | Primarily focused on colonization, conversion of indigenous peoples to Christianity, and the establishment of a strong economic presence through trade and resource extraction. | Establishing settlements and forts along the Mississippi River and in the Great Lakes region in order to control the fur trade and secure valuable resources such as furs, timber, and land, along with exploring and mapping the interior of the continent to expand their knowledge and control of the land. | Promoting religious toleration and diversity in the colony, which attracted many non-Dutch settlers, including Walloons, Germans, and French Huguenots and built a strong trading presence in the region, primarily through the , which controlled the colony of New Netherland. | |
| Political Development | To assert control over these territories and defend them against potential encroachment by other European powers, particularly the French and the English. Additionally, the Spanish sought to convert the indigenous populations to Catholicism and establish a strong presence in the region to support their trade and economic interests. | One of the main political goals of the French in the early 18th century was to create a buffer zone between their settlements in Canada and the British colonies to the south. They also sought to gain control of the Mississippi River and its tributaries, which would give them control over trade and transportation in the region. | The main political goals of the Dutch during this period were to establish and maintain control over these settlements and the surrounding regions, and to use them as a base for trade and economic activities. The Dutch also sought to establish trade and economic relations with the indigenous peoples, and to convert them to Christianity. | One of the main goals was to establish and maintain control over the 13 British colonies that were established along the east coast of North America, from present-day Maine to Georgia. This was done to assert British authority over the region and to use it as a base for trade and economic activities. |
| Social Development & Relationship w/ Natives | Competition over resources between European rivals and American Indians encouraged industry and trade and led to conflict. | Established alliances and trade relations with indigenous populations, such as the Huron, Iroquois, and Algonquin tribes. | They established alliances with some native tribes as a way to secure their trade routes, and to protect their settlements from potential attacks. | Competition over resources between European rivals and American Indians encouraged industry and trade and led to conflict. |
As more and more people came to the Americas, trade heavily increased. A large part of that trade was the importation of beginning in 1619. This slave trade would go on for another two centuries before being stopped.
Try to find similarities and differences between the colonies in the chart. When writing FRQs, being able to recall this information will help immensely!
Key Terms to Review (22)
1619 Slave Trade: The 1619 Slave Trade refers to the year when the first African slaves were brought to Jamestown, Virginia, marking the beginning of two and a half centuries of slavery in North America.
Algonquin Tribe: The Algonquin are a group of Native American tribes living in what is now eastern Canada and northern United States. They were semi-nomadic hunter-gatherers with seasonal migration patterns.
British Colonization: British colonization refers to the establishment and expansion of colonies by Great Britain during the 16th to 20th centuries. In North America, this included thirteen colonies that later became the United States.
Dutch Colonization: Dutch colonization refers to settlements established by Dutch Republic across global territories during 17th century, most notably New Netherland (modern-day New York) in North America.
Dutch West India Company: The Dutch West India Company was a chartered company of Dutch merchants that had a monopoly on trade in the Americas and Africa during the 17th century.
Enslaved Africans: Enslaved Africans were individuals captured in Africa and forcibly brought to America from the 16th through 19th centuries where they were sold into slavery and forced to work without pay or rights.
French Colonization: French colonization refers to the establishment of French control over territories in the Americas, Africa, and Asia from the 16th to 20th centuries. In North America, this primarily included areas in Canada and Louisiana.
Georgia: The last of the original thirteen colonies, founded by James Oglethorpe in 1733 as a debtor's colony. It was also one of the Confederate states during Civil War.
Great Lakes Region: The Great Lakes Region is an area in North America that includes all five Great Lakes (Superior, Michigan, Huron, Erie, Ontario) and their surrounding states/provinces. It's known for its natural resources such as timber and fish.
Huron Tribe: The Huron Tribe, also known as the Wendat, is a group of Native American people who originally lived in the Great Lakes region. They were known for their farming skills and trade networks.
Iroquois Tribe: The Iroquois Tribe, also known as the Haudenosaunee or Six Nations, is a historically powerful northeast Native American confederacy. They were known for their political organization and influence during colonial times.
Jamestown: Jamestown was the first permanent English settlement in North America, established in 1607 by the Virginia Company of London.
Maryland: One of the original thirteen colonies, Maryland was founded by Lord Baltimore as a refuge for English Catholics. It's known for its religious tolerance and diverse economy.
Massachusetts Bay: Massachusetts Bay Colony was an English settlement on the east coast of North America in the 17th century, situated around the present-day cities of Salem and Boston.
Mississippi River Valley: The Mississippi River Valley refers to the area surrounding and including the Mississippi River, which stretches from Minnesota to Louisiana in the United States. This region has been significant throughout U.S. history for its role in transportation, agriculture, and trade.
New Amsterdam: New Amsterdam was a 17th-century Dutch settlement established at the southern tip of Manhattan Island that served as the seat of government for New Netherland territory.
New Netherlands: New Netherlands was a 17th-century colonial province of the Seven United Provinces that was located on the East Coast of North America. The claimed territories extended from the Delmarva Peninsula to southwestern Cape Cod.
Pennsylvania: One of the original 13 British colonies, Pennsylvania was founded by William Penn in 1681 as a haven for Quakers. It's known for its diverse geography and rich history.
Quebec, Louisiana: Quebec was a French colony located on North America's east coast (today's Canada), while Louisiana was another French colony situated along Mississippi River down to Gulf Coast. Both were key locations for France’s colonial empire during 17th-18th centuries.
Santa Fe, New Mexico: Santa Fe is one of the oldest cities in the United States, founded by Spanish colonists in 1610. It served as an important site for trade and cultural exchange between indigenous peoples and Europeans.
Spanish Colonization: The process by which Spain established colonies and imposed its control over territories in the Americas from the late 15th to early 19th centuries.
St. Augustine, Florida: St. Augustine is the oldest continuously inhabited European-established settlement in the continental United States, founded by Spanish explorers in 1565.
